Rubber feeding means fob circular



A. E. PAGE 'ET Al.

RUBBER FEEDING MEANS FQR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 27, 1935 HARRY N. SHEP PARD BY THEIR vATTORNEYS MMM I Dec. l, 1936. A.YE. PAGE ET Al.

RUBBER FEEDING MEANS FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES Filed March 27, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 1l ll INVENTORS ALBERT' E. PAGE FRANK R. PAGE l HARRY N. SHEPPARD iBY THEIR ATTORNEYS Dec. l, 1936. I A, E PAGE ET A| 2,062,926

RUBBER FEEDING MEANS FOR CIRCULAR KNITTING MACHINES Filed March 27, 1955V i 4 sheets-snaai 3 1B" A I if@ 45- o@ jjj /55 ALBERT E. PAGE FRANK R. PAGE l HARRY N. SHEPPARD BY THEIR ATTORNEYS Dec. l, 1936.,- A, E. PAGE ET AL 2,062,926 RUBBER FEEDING MEANS FOR CIRCULAR RN'ITTING MACHINES l' l 4 sheets-sheet 4 Filed March 27, 1935 l TiTll.

D Rm 05mm SPAEo R PHW mERqwA TNW VENYH gm., N FAm Patented Dec. l, 1936 UNITED ySTATES FEEDmG MEANS Fon CIRCULAR KNI'ITING MACHINES RUBBER PATENT OFFICE chusetts Application March 27, 1935, Serial No. 13,328

27 Claims. (Cl. 66512) This invention relates to circular knitting machinery and more particularly to mechanism for laying rubber yarn in the fabric during the making of the fabric and it is an object of this invention to provide a machine of the type described having improved mechanism 'for laying rubber yarn in the fabric and for controlling the operation thereof. It is also an object of the invention to provide means whereby the usual knitting instrumentalities are operated to insure the insertion of the rubber yarn in the fabric at the proper point and hold the rubber yarn in proper feeding relation with the needles knitting the fabric and it is also an object of this invention to provide means whereby the means controlling the rubber yarn can be used for other purposes when the rubber yarn is not being fed without causing the operation of the rubber yarn feeding means. It is a further object of the `invention to provide means o for introducing the rubber yarn to the machine substantially without tension to aid in introducing the rubber yarn at the proper point in the fabric and to render the use of yarn-measuring devices on the rubber yarn feed unnecessary.

The invention is shown and described as embodied in the well-known Scott 8: Williams revolving needle cylinder half hose knitting machine, such for instance as shown in the patent to Robert W.

Scott No. 1,641,101, dated August 30, 1927, but it should be understood that theninvention is not limited to revolving needle cylinder machines or to machines for making half hose.

In the drawings,

Fig. lis an elevation of the left side of sufficient of a. Scott 8: Williams half hose knitting machine to show the rubber yarn finger and special needle controlling cams and their controls, some of the standard parts being shown in dotted lines;

Fig. 2 is a partial view, partly in side elevation from the right side of the machine` and partly in. 4section, showing the dial and some of the controlling mechanism associated therewith;

Fig. 3 is a plan of a portion of the dial with the dial cap removed showing the relation of the rubber yarn and the dial needles;l

Fig. 4 is a development of the edge of the dial shown in Fig. 3 after the feeding of the yarn has progressed a little further than is shown in Fig. 3; the dotted line position of the rubber yarn being that assumed by the yarn when the finger feeding the rubber yarn has just been raised to idle position and the rubber yarn has gotten into Athe cutter but has not yet been clamped or cut;

Fig. 5 is a development similar to Fig. 4 showing the position of the rubber yarn with respect to a special starting needle for the rubber yarnJust prior to the time that the special starting needle takes theyarn.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the dial showing the yarn finger and associated controls; .g

Fig. 7 is a partial sectional viewy taken just above the lower bedplate. and showing the cams' and controls which operate the special starting needle;

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the yarn finger and slack-producing guide, showing each element in its lowermost position; i Fig. 9 is a vertical section through one edge of 'the dial showing the relative positions of the dial, sinker, needles andfrubber yarn;

Fig. 10 is a development of so much of the auxil'- iary pattern drum cam layout as is necessary for an understanding of this invention; Fig. 11 is a similar development of part main pattern drum layout; while t Fig. 12 is a. view in side elevation of the mechanism` by which the rotation of the auxiliary drum is controlled from the main drum.

When it has been desi-red toput rubber yarn in any knitted fabric, great difficulty has been encountered in feeding the yarn properly because `the elasticity of the yarn rendered the ordinary of the' tensioning devices unsuitable for controlling the feeding of the yarn, Rubber yarn has usually been fed in a knitting machine, therefore, by a measuring device, such as rolls whose speed is adjusted to produce the proper tension on the rubber yarn. 'I'hese devices involve a considerable number of parts and their control and are unsatisfactory in many ways. 'I'his invention provides a simple means for feeding rubber yarn by which the yarn can be controlled so as not to produce faulty fabric, and to achieve this end the mechanism guides and controls the rubber yarn so as to N and N1`mounted in the needle cylinder 260 and dial needles a, b, mounted in the dial D. There are also the usual latch ring 550 and outside sinker ring 300.

` |20, auxiliary pattern drum 20, cylinder needles In a machine constructed in accordance with this invention the rubber yarn is introduced into the fabric Without being placed under appreciable tension and it is one of the features of this invention that means are provided to avoid the difiiculties which ordinarily arise when rubber yarn is introduced into the fabric under tension. The invention contemplates that the rubber yarn will not be knit into the fabric butV will be laid in the stitches and in the example of the invention shown in the drawings and described hereinafter the rubber yarn I8 is shown laid in the ribbed top of a half hose just below the welt. In order that the yarn may be laid in this position in the fabric the yarn is fed from a special yarn finger |85, shown in Figures 4 and '5, which delivers the yarn just below the hook portion a of the dial needles a, b, as shown for instance in Figure 9. In this location the rubber yarn I8 lies between the dial needles a, b and the cylinder needles N, N1 and is incorporated in the fabric by being caught between the loops of the rib and plain wales. The fabric as it is knit is fed down between the dial D and needle cylinder 250 by the action of the teeth w13 on the sinkers w as shown in Fig. 9 and special means are provided to separate the dial and needle cylinder so that the fabric containing the rubber yarn can be readily led away in this manner.

In order to insure that the rubber yarn shall be introduced at the proper point in the fabric means are provided to grip the yarn and hold it in proper position either long lenough to insure the operation is properly started or throughout the feeding of the rubber yarn to the fabric. It has heretofore been known to employ one or more of the needles used in knitting the fabric to grasp the rubber yarn and hold it, but this is objectionable in that such needles must, of necessity, pass through the feeding wave shortly after theytake the rubber yarn and the release when the needles clear is too soon after the taking of the rubber yarn to insure that the yarn stays in its proper position. In accordance with this invention there is employed to hold the rubber yarn a. needle which, during rib knitting, is normally in idle position, namely one of the cylinder .needles which is out of action during the making of rib fabric in order that the dial needles. a, b may operate. It

will be noted, for instance, in Figure 5 that the special needle N2 is opposite one of the dial needles a, b and therefore normally would be idle during the making ofrib fabric. We have discovered, however, that by proper manipulation this idle cylinder needle can be employed to hold the rubber yarn and yet .avoid interference with both parts of the dial needles during the knitting of rib fabric.

This is accomplished by causing the special idle cylinder needle or needles N2 to be raised at a pointslightly in advance of the position of the finger |85 feeding the rubber yarn. The special needle N2 is raised to such a height that shortly after it passes the special rubber yarn feeding finger |85 which lies just outside the needle circle, as shown in Fig. 3, it will vcontact with that portion of the rubber yarn I8 lying between the iinger |85 and the cutter and clamp, mechanism C which is located inside the needle circle, as shown in Fig. 6. Immediately after taking the yarn the -needle N2 is pulled down so as to draw the yarn -below the dial needles. Since this needle is not used to knock over stitches at this time, the Y yarn can be held in the needle hook until the length of fabric knit draws the free end of the j yarn from the hook. If itis desired that the idle cylinder needle which takes the rubber yarn y; when it isnrst fed to the machine continue t hold |84 by a coil spring |82.

.the free end of the rubber yarn throughout the Needle raising cam and mechanism controlling it The mechanism for manipulating the needle or needles to take the rubber yarn when it is introduced will now be described. As` shown in Fig. 7, there is provided an auxiliary draw down cam 8 supported by a pivotally mounted bracket |83 at a point slightly in advance of the feeding position of the rubber yarn which cam, when inserted, will draw down all the cylinder needles. Also mounted on the bracket |83 is a special isolating or raising cam |84 which, when the draw down cam 8 is inserted all the way, will engage long butt cylinder needles but will miss medium and short butt cylinder needles. The cylinder needles are arranged in such manner that the only long 'butt cylinder needles are the needle or needles N2 which are to take the rubber yarn I8 and it therefore follows that the isolating or raising cam |84 will raise only the needle or needles which are to take the rubber yarn when it is introduced in the fabric. 'I'he isolating cam |84 raises the needles N1 slightly in advance of the position of the rubber yarn feeding finger |85 as already described and the needle or needles N2 are lowered again by stationary cam 5| located at a point diametrically opposite the knitting point. A

vThe isolating or raising cam |84 has both a primary anda secondary control means. The primary control means, which is operated from cams on the main pattern drum |20, has several functions, but as far as these functions concern the isolating cam |84, the primary control means merely serves to movev the cam |84 from fully retracted position to an intermediate position where it just misses the long butt needle'N". The actual movement of the isolating cam |84 from this last-mentioned or intermediate position to operative position is accomplished by the secondary control means. The primary control means are actuated by cams on the main pattern drum comprising high cams 523, 525 and 526 and low cams 524 and 521, Fig. 11. These cams actuate a lever 46| pivoted just above the main drum |20. 'Ihe upper end of the lever 46| has fastened thereto one end of a wire |11 which overlies the upper bedplate B (Figs. 1 and 7) and has its other end connected to one end of the pivoted support of an auxiliary clearing cam 26. The wire |11 is connected to the isolating cam |84 through an upright lug or stop |16 on the wire |11 which lies in the path of a pin |18 extending laterally from the bracket |83 which carries the isolating cam I 84 and the auxiliary draw down cam 8. The bracket |83 is pressed toward operative position for the two cams 8 and The lug or stop |16 when operated to shift the pin |18 to the left in Fig. 7 draws both cams |84 and 8 out of operative relation with the cylinder needle butts. Owing to the presencev of the secondary control mechanism which will next be described, the operation of the lever 46| when it rides up on to or down off a. low cam does not affect the positions of the cams 8 and |84, the low cams being ance of the knitting of the hose, the finger |85l used in connection with the operation ofthe auxiliary clearing cam 26. The secondary control means which determines accurately the operative positions of cams 8 and `|84 include a blade |80 carried by a lever |19 so as to be eccentrically mounted with respect to the pivot point |8I. The lever |19 is connected by a link to a rod 460, the lower end of which is so attached to a bell crank lever I4 operated.

by cams on the auxiliary -striping drum 20 that the rod 460 operates as an arm of the lever I4. This secondary control means has two positions the rst of which is shown in Fig. 7 and in this position the blade .holds the pin |18 so as to determine the innermost operative position of the cams 8 and |84. In this position the draw down cam 8 has a long overlap with the needle butts and is in a position to draw down all the cylinder needles while the isolating cam |84 is in position to elevate the long butt needles N2. This' position of the cams is assumed only when the bell crank lever I4 associated with the rod '460 is on a cam 8,59 (see Fig. 10). The cam 859 is so located with respect to the racking means for the auxiliary drum 20 that the isolating 'cam |84 is inserted to the position shown in Fig'. ,'1 and retracted again during one rack of the auxiliary drum 20. As soon as the bell crank lever .I4 associated with the rod 460 rides olf the cam 859 onto the surface of the drum 20, the blade |80, turning-about itspivot point |8I, pushes the pin |18 suiciently to move the isolating cam |84 out of the path of the long butt needle NZ but not enough to move the draw down cam 8 out of operative relation with the short and medium butt needles. There being no cams other than cam 859 on this cam path on the drum 20, the blade |80 acting through the pin |18 serves to v insure that the isolating cam |84 does not raise 8 and the isolatingcam |84 are moved into their operative positions about one-third of a revolution before the long butt cylinder needle N2 reaches the isolating cam |84 and about twothirds of a revolution of the needle cylinder later the isolating cam |84 is moved back out of operative position. The racking of the auxiliary pattern drum. 20 is accomplished by the usual rack wheel `2| at an end of the drum 20 and the -pawl and heart-shaped cam shown in dotted lines near the bottom of Fig. 1. The idling mechanism for this racking means islshown in Fig. 12. j

, In the arrangement ofparts just described` the of the rib fabric knit pulls the yarn from the needle.

Rubber yam vfeed The Iiinger for feeding the rubber yarn I8 and the means for manipulating that finger will now be described. In order that the finger |85 may be lowered to kfeeding position shortly after the welt has been knit and then raised out of action after the desired number, as l8 or 10 courses, have been knit to stay out for the balfinger |85, as shown, is tubular and if desired can be cut away through part of ltslength, as

l of a rack of the main pattern drum |20.

l bell crank lever.

short spring |49 attached to the lower end of the" in Fig. 1, to make it easier to thread the rubber yarn. The nger |85 is located at the same point that is customarily used in feeding a yarn for making the fashion seam, as shown in the patent to Scott, No. 1,256,834, issued February 19, 1918. The nger |85 is mounted on a lever |42 which is pivoted on the latch ring 550 and is provided with an adjustable stop |43 engaging the tcp of the latch ring. The yarn finger |85 is biased to a raised position by a tension spring |44extending between the lever |42 carryingT the finger and any suitable fixed part of the machine, or as shown in Fig. 8 to an arm |45 mounted on the cover of the horizontal gear for the rib dial (not shown). The yarn ,I8 passes 'through a hole in this arm |45. The connection between the lever |42 pivoted on the latch ring 550 and the auxiliary drum 20 consists of a bent thrust rod 462 attached to a rigid arm |42a on the lever |42 and to a bell crank I4 associated with one of the cam paths on the auxiliary striping drum 20. These parts are so adjusted that when the -toefof the bell crank lever rides on to a cam the yarn nger |85 is lowered into operative position. 'Ihe linger |85 is timed to be lowered on the same rack of the auxiliary striping drum 20 as brings the isolating cam |84 into operative position. This rack of the auxiliary striping drum is started at the end of the welt as a result Safety device for rub-ber yarn finger It is necessary to be sure that the rubber yarn feeding finger |85 is not moved into operative position except during the'knitting of rib fabric..

If it should come down at the wrong time, owing to an improper rack of the auxiliary striping drum, the main drum, or pattern chain finger, damage to some of the parts of the machine might result. A safety. device has therefore/ 40 been provided in connection with `the bell crank lever I4 and the bent thrust rod 462 which operates the yarn finger |85. the bell crank lever I4 andthe bent thrust rod 462 thereY is a pin and slot connection |48, the slot being vertical in the thrust rod and the pin `being carried by the crank lver I4 and engaging in the, slot, and the connection is such that tipping the bell crank lever I4 will not raise the benirthrust rod 462 except when means are made effective to prevent movement of thepin in the slot. The means provided consist Between of alatch |41 pivoted Von the bent thrust rod at a point above the slot and having a catch or shoulder |48 facing toward the stub end of the The latch |41 is biased-by a bent thrust rod 462 to a. position above the bell crank lever arm in which it holds the pin on the bell crank lever at the bottom of the slot so that any' movement of the bell crank lever will cause the latch to raise the bent thrust rod.

It is necessary that this latch be released at all y lfollowing connection is provided. The latch |41 'has a curved laterally projecting arm |41a extending toward the front of the machine close beside another thrust rod 463, shown best in Fig.

l, which is operated only during knitting of rib fabric to increase the stroke of the toothed sinkers by means of the wire |35 and cams 315, 316 shown in Fig. 6. The thrust rod 463 atall times,

4 except during the knitting of rib fabric and aty the transfer to plain fabric, rides on a high cam 52| (Fig. 11) on the main pattern drum |20.

During the making of rib fabric it rests on the surface of the drum |20 as shown in Fig. 11, and

y during transfer from rib to plain fabric it rests on the low cam 522. Projecting from one side of(V the thrust rod 463, just below the arm |41L of the latch, is a pin which is so positioned vertipattern drum |20 but when the thrust rod 483 is on cam 522 or cam 52| the pin |50 engages the arm |41a and tips the latch |41 until its'shoulder |48 is out of engagement with the arm of the bell crank lever I4. This frees the bell crank lever to move the pin idly in the slot in the push rod, thus allowing the bell crank lever to be operated without causing any movement of the yarn nger lever |42 so that the latch |41 prevents the bent thrust rod 462 moving the rubber yarn nger into operative position except during the knitting of rib fabric. At all other times an improper rack of the striping drum 20 will not cause any movement of the rubber yarn feeding finger.

Rubber yarn guiding means Experience has shown that the length of rubber yarn I8 lying between the knitting point and the -yarn finger |85 will, especially if not under tension, vibrate to an extent which causes the yarn to be caught on some knitting instrumentality. To avoid this, the dial needles are employed to hold the rubber yarn in position thus providing a guard means which is simple and easy to manipulate without increasing the number of elements in the machine at the point where the knitting operation takes place. 'This is accomplished by projecting the hook portions a of the dial needles a, b beyond the verge of the dial D a distance of one-sixteenth of an inch at a point shortly after the feeding position of vthe rubber yarn. It is impossible to keep these dial needle hooks out such a distance until they are projected to take the yarn unless the transfer and tuck cams are withdrawn because at a point shortly after the hook portions are projected the inactive cylinder needles N1 are usually raised prior to the dial needles and would contact therewith.

However, if a few of the dial needles nearest the yarn feeding finger are projected a sixteenth of an inch thereafter a projection of a lesser degree will suffice to hold the rubber yarn in position below the dial needles. In accordance with this invention, therefore, there is provided, as shown in Fig. 3, a pivoted cam 52 which pushes the dial needle hooks `a out for one-sixteenth of an inch shortly after they pass the rubber yarn feeding finger and keeps only 3 or 4 dial needle hooks so extended at the same time. A guard cam- |53 is provided following the pivoted push-out cam |52 which retracts the dial needle hooks to a position where they extend only about one thirtysecond of an inch beyond the verge. In this position they are sumciently retracted to avoid contact with the inactive cylinder needles N1 and yet they overlie the rubber yarn suiliciently to hold it in position. The long butt needle or needles N'a are drawn down by the cam |5| before the dial needles are projected.

The mechanism for moving the pivoted cam l 52 into and out of action, shown best in Figs. 1

and 6, is actuated from the lever |42 carrying the rubber yarn feeding finger |85. Fastened on top of the lever |42 is a laterally projecting blade |54 located about the middle of the lever which overlies the'upper end of a short crank |55 pivoted on a bracket |56 carried by the latch ring 550 (Fig. 1). The lower end ofthe short crank |55 engages the side of the bent up end of 'a curved plate |51. The other end of this curved plate is pivoted on the dial cam cap (Fig. 6) and the midpoint thereof is fastened to a pin |58 in the free end of the pivoted cam |52 which.acts on the hook portions a of the dial needles (Fig. 3). The lowering of the rubber yarn feeding finger to operative position causes the blade |54 to push down on the short crank |55 swinging the curved plate |51 outward and carrying the pivoted cam |52 of Fig. 3 outward so as to push the hook portions a of the dial needles outward until they extend onesixteenth of an inch beyond the verge to hold the rubber yarn in its proper position.

Rubber yarn tension reducing means As 'the needles N2 rotate they tend to pull the end of the rubber yarn from the clamp which has been holding it since the yarn was cut oil' in the previous hose and the needles also tend to stretch the yarn. As a result of being stretched when the yarn is pulled or released from the clamp the free end of the yarn tends l to snap back from between the needles and the sinkers and come out of the yarn guide. It is necessary, therefore, when introducing a plain rubber yarn with a high degree of elasticity to insure that there is little or no tension on the yarn, particularly at the moment when feeding is begun, and to this end a novel guiding means is employed in association with the yarn finger, as can be seen from the diagrammatic showing in Fig. 6.

'I'he rubber yarn supply may be mounted at the rear of the machine and the rubber yarn fed over one or more guides which change its direction until the yarn is finally presented to the yarn nger or the yarn supply may be mounted in position to feed directly to the yarn, linger |85. Either arrangement "gives a path of travel of a certain length for the rubber yarn. By dipping one of the guides, and preferably the one just previous to the yarn finger, i. e., changing' its position, or by shifting the yarn supply towards the yarn finger, the length of the path of travel of the rubber yarn can be shortened and if this operation is performed at just the proper time, the rubber yarn is relieved of all, or most of its tension, and will feed into the mechanism heretofore described, without any trouble. By thus lowering the last guide toward the needles and returning it to its original position in the specific timed relations which will now be described, all danger of the yarn pulling out or having an abnormal tension at the beginning of the feed is avoided.

"Referring now more particularly to Fig. 8, the yarn guide arm shown has a tension disk device I9| for the rubber yarn which passes from the tension device through a small hole in the end of the arm |45. Before the rubber yarn finger |85 is lowered to operative position from the dotted position shown in Fig. 8, the yarn guide |9| is in its uppermost position. It is preferred to lower the yarn guide |9| from its uppermost position to its intermediate position shortly after the isolated needles N2 have grasped the rubber yarn, and specifically about the time that the needles N2 are passing the' cutter and clamp mechanismV C. If the movement of the yarn guide |9| at this time is made large enough to provide all the slack needed, a loop of the rubber yarn is sometimes thrown over the dial needles instead of under them. It is advisable, therefore, to provide only some of the necessary slack at this time and to provide a second step about the time that the clamp mechanism C opens. 4To mount the yarn supply for feeding directly to the yarn guide, a lightly frictioned reel or spool may be mounted on the arm |90 in place of the guide 9| soas to feed the yarn directly to the yarn finger |85.

In practice, the guide |9| and arm |90 can be kept in their lowermost positions during the remainder of the feeding ofthe rubber yarn, but it is found preferable to raise the arm and guide to their uppermost positions shortly before the feeding of the rubber yarn ceases. The raising of the guide at this time does not cause any increase in the tension of the yarn and gathers slack for the next stocking before the rubber yarn is cut out in the stocking just being flnished. It will be noted that the movement of the guide can be controlled to give the amount of slack desired and when desired.

For moving the guide |9|, means controlled from the auxiliary striping drum 20 are provided. The guide arm |90 is a long arm pivoted at a point |93 atA the rear of the machine (Fig. 1) and having a tension spring |94 tending to hold the arm. in its uppermost position. Attached to the arm |90 is a' link |95 connected to a bell crank lever I4 actuated by cams on the auxiliary striping drum 20 in such manner that dle cylinder down to the fabric tube.

when the bell crank lever I4 drops from a high cam to a low cam, the guide |9I is lowered-half, wayand when' the bell. crank lever |4 drops onto the surface of the auxiliary pattern drum 20,

the guide |9| is lowered to its ldwermost position. In practice the lowering of the guide |9| from its upper to its intermediate position` occurs practically simultaneously with the lowering of the yarn nger^| to its operative position,

and about one-third yof a revolution later the guide is lowered to its lowermost position.`

Cylinder and dial spacing mechanism 'Ihe portion of the fabric containing the rub-A ber yarn is considerably thicker than the rest between the fins on the dial D and the teeth on the sinkers w is insuicient to allow the fabric to pass readily between the ydial and nee- Allowance for the difference in thickness of the fabric due to adding the rubber yarn can be made by lowering the needle cylinder during 1 x 1 rib knitting without changing the length of stitch.

To thus make more room for the finished fabric and allow the rubber to be fed at the unusually low point necessary, a cylinder raising lever |96 is pivotally mounted on the lower end of the cylinder raising tube |91. In one end of this lever is an adjusting screw |98 which rests on a stationary portion of the frame of the machine, namely, the cylinder tube support bracket, ,so that movement of the lever causes the cylinder raising tube to be raised 'or lowered. The other end of the lever 96 is fastened to a link |99 which in turn is connected to an arm of a bell crank lever |4 associated with the auxiliary rubber yarn finger |85 to be lowered to operative position. After the desired number of courses of. rib fabric with rubber laid in are made, a cam on the striper drum 20 operates the bell cranklever raising the lever |96 and causing the cylinder raising tube '|91 to be raised to its regularfrib knitting position.

Rubber yam cutter and clamp Another feature of the invention is the cutter and clamp C used to hold the rubber yarn when it is not being laid in the rib fabric. This cutter and clamp which 'is of the multiblade type, as shown in patentto Trudel No. 1,191,100, dated July 11,v v1916, is located just inside the verge of the dial at a point, circumferentially speaking, just about 45 after the yarn feeding finger |85 (Fig. 6) and is carried on an arm 200 extending from the latch ringV at the front of the machineto the cross bar which supports the gears for the dial. The cutter is normally held in closed position by a coiled spring 20| which extends upwardly from the upper end of the movable member to a small arm 202 projecting from the cover 203 over the bevelled gear on the upper end of the dial drive shaft. The lower end of the movable member is in the 'form of a ho'okl pointed radially outward and lies between two stationary members, one having a bevelled end forming a cutting edge. 'Ihe lowering of the hook causes the yarn to be caught in the hook where the yarn is being fed from an advanced position such as that of the rubber yarn finger and the yarn-finger is raised to withdraw the yarn.l To operate the cutter and clamp to engage and release .the yarn, mechanism is provided which is operated from cams on the auxiliary pattern drum 20. This mechanism includes a lever 204, one end of which overlies the upper end of the hook and which is pivoted on a Y the bell crank lever rides onto a cam on the drum 20, the cutter is opened, and when it rides off the cam, the tension spring 20| attached to the upper end ofthe hook closes the cutter and clamp.

Safety device for cutter and clamp In a manner somewhat similar to that of the safety catch for the rubber yarn nger |05, a safety device is provided for the cutter and clamp which prevents the clamp opening except when actuated from a cam on the auxiliary pattern drum 20 vduring the making of the rib fabric. This device, like that for the rubber yarn finger, is controlled from another element on the machine and comprises a latch member |41 (see Fig. 2.) pivoted on the link 205 above the slot in the link in which the pin on the bell crank lever travels and having a notch or shoulder |48 at its lower end which is positioned to engage the upper edge of the bell crank lever arm by a tension spring |49 operating on the laterally extending curved arm |41 of the latch member |41. The curved arm |41a is connected by a. wire 206 to the thrust rod |25 which adjusts the vertical elevation of the dial D. The connection between the wire 206 and the thrust rod |25 consists of a stud |25 projecting laterally from the side of the thrust rod |25 and having a hole through which the wire passes. On the wire 206 on the side of the stud |25E away from the safety latch |41 is an adjustable collar 206 which is so set as to pull the wire 206 upward Whenever the thrust rod |25 is raised from its lowermost or rib knitting position. Such a pull ,on the wire 2106 disengages the shoulder |48 of the latch |41 from the bell crank lever |4 so that any movement of the bell crank lever thereafter will merely cause idling of the pin in the slot of the trip link 205 and will not cause the clamp to release the rubber yarn. y

Operation of the machine The construction of the machine having been set forth, its operation will now be described. Assuming that the machine has ljust iinished making the automatic welt such as describedin the above-mentioned patent to Robert W. Scott, No. 1,641,101, the main pattern drum |20 is racked forward as the machine goes into rib knitting. This rack of the main pattern drum drops the dial raising thrust rod |25 to its lowermost position, which not only lowers the dial to rib knitting position but also allows the safety catch |41 for the cutter and clamp to latch on top of the bell crank arm thereby connecting the cutter and clamp operatively to its cams on the auxiliary pattern drum 20. 'Ihis racking of the main pattern drum |20 also allows the thrust rod 463 to drop oi its cam surface 52|, thus not only operating thesinkers further in in order to get the added thrust necessary for the teeth on the sinkers to push the rib fabric down in the fabric tube, but also allowing the latch of the safety device for the rubber yarn nger to engage on top of its bell crank arr'n, thus operatively connecting the rubber yarn finger with the bell crank lever.

This rack of the main pattern drum also shifts the lever 46| kfrom its position against the main 'pattern drum |20 onto the low cam. 521 operating the link |11 to withdraw the cam 26 from the operative position occupied during the knitting of the welt to an inoperative position in which any yarns on them. While the cam 26 is in operative position during the knitting of the welt the lug |16 on wire |11 is away from the pin |18 on bracket |83 but at this time the' auxiliary drum 20 is stationary with the bell crank lever |4 connected to the rod 460 in engagement with the drum `20 so that the blade |80 is positioned to engage the pin |18 and hold the cam |84 clear of the long butt needles. As the needles have not been raised to clear their latches, the draw down cam 8, while lowering the needles, does not cause the loops to be cast off. Shifting of the cam 26 to its inoperative position causes the lug |16 to be moved nearer to the pin |18 but, as shown in Fig. '1, not in engagementtherewith so Ythat, the position of the bracket |83 and the cams 8 and |84 is still determined by the blade |80.'

This rack on the main pattern drum going into the rib fabric drops the lever 530 from the high cam on the main pattern drum |20 to the intermediate cam lowering the pawl into engagement With the rack 2| of the auxiliary drum 20 which thereupon racks the auxiliary drum 20 once for each revolution of the needle cylinder while the main pattern drum remains at rest. The racking of the auxiliary drum 20 continues until the low tooth of the rack 2| is reached whereupon racking of the drum 20 ceases as the position of the lever 530 on the intermediate height cam prevents the pawl engaging the low tooth. 'I'his first rack of the auxiliary striping drum 20 causes the bell crank lever I4 associated with the cylinder raisingtube |81 to drop off its cam `863 (Fig. 10) lowering the cylinder raising tube |91 and the needle cylinder 260 to their lowest positions.

During the second course of rib knitting the operations necessary to commence actual feeding of the rubber yarn begin. During the rack of the auxiliary striping drum 20 which occurs during this second course of rib fabric, the rubber yarn finger |85 is lowered to operative position by its bell crank lever |4 being raised by the cam 858 on the auxiliary striping drum 20 to raise the bent thrust rod 462 and operate the lever |42 to lower the yarn nger |85. The operation of the yyarn finger lever |42 causes the short pivoted lever |55 to push radially outward against the upwardly bent end of the curved cam plate |51 on the top of the dial cap, and operate the pivoted cam |52 in the dial cap to a position which shifts the hook portions a of the dial needles radially outward about one-sixteenth of an inchbeyond the verge of the dial. At the same time cam'859 on the auxiliary striping drum 20 acting through its bell crank lever I4, the rod 460 and blade |80 releases the auxiliary draw down cam bracket |83 so that it is shifted toits innermost operative position by the coil spring later the cam |84 engages the long butt or butts .of the idle cylinder needle or needles N2 which are to catch the rubber yarn and raises them to the level shown in Fig. 5 at the left of the figure. Shortly after the isolated needles N2 are thus raised and pass the rubber yarn iinger they are drawn down by the fixed draw down cam 5|. The yarn guide arm is operated during the same rack of the auxiliary striping ydrum 20 as the bell crankl lever |4 connected to the guide armf|90 moves from the high portion to the low portion of the cam 860 and, acting'through the link and pivoted guide arm |90, lowers the guide |8| to its intermediate position. Before the end of this rack of the auxiliary striping drum 20, the bell crank lever |4 connected to the link |95 moves from the low portion of the cam 860 onto the surface of the striping drum 20,-

lowering the-guide |9| to its lowermost position and giving additional slack at or about the time that the clamp is operated to release the rubber yarn.. The release of the rubber yarn by the clamp comes before the end of this rack of the auxiliary striping drum as the bell crank lever I4, Fig; 2, rides up onto cam 86| on the auxiliary striping drumv 20, raising the trip link 205 and operating the pivoted lever 204 to open the clamp.

The insertion of the draw down cam 8 and the isolating cam |84 into operative position during thevv second'course of rib knitting to raise the selected idle cylinder needles N1 to take the rubber yarn. has already been described. On

|82. About one-third of a revolutionthe same rack of the auxiliary striping drum a the bell crank lever |4 controlling the blade |80 moves o the cam 859 causing the blade |80 to press against the pin |18 and retract the auxiliary draw down cam bracket |83 suificiently to bring the isolating cam |84 clear of the long butt needles but still :leaving the regular draw down cam 8 in operative relation with all the cylinder needle butts. The insertion of the isolating cam |84 and the fixed draw down cam |5| located in back of the dropper post at the front of the machine and engaging the long butt needles N2 only, cause the special long butt needles N*2 to be raised for one course only to take the rubber yarn and to be drawn down to resume the idle path which the other idle cylinder needles took during the rst course of rib fabric, all the idle needles thereafter continuing that idle path for the balance of the rib fabric. The path of the idle cylinder needles opposite the dial needles and the manner of separating these needles from the active or intercalated cylinder needles are shown and described by the Robert W. Scott Patent No. 1,641,101.

The feeding of the rubber yarn continues for any desired number of courses, the Yyarn feeding in below the dial needle hooks as shown in Fig. 3, and as shown in Fig. 4 in solid line portions. The revolution of the auxiliary striping drum 20 being timed to occupy more than the number of courses desired with rubber inlay yarn, the operation of the machine will continue in the following manner:

Shortly before the desired number of courses containing the rubber yarn is made, the bell crank lever I4 associated with the guide I9| for the rubber yarn rides from the surface of the auxiliary pattern drum 20 up onto a high cam (860-Fig. 10), thereby raising the guide |9| or the yarn supply reel to its highest position and establishing the maximum length of path for the rubber yarn from the supply of the.rubber yarn on the cone or bobbin to the yarn finger |85. On the same rack of. the auxiliary pattern drum 20 the bell crank lever I4 operating the rubber yarn iinger |85 drops from the cam 858 on the drum 20 and the arm |42 is drawn upwardly by its tension spring |44 to the dotted position shown in Fig. 8. This creates the slack in the rubber yarn which is taken advantage of when the rubber yarn' is inserted in the making of the next stocking.

Immediately after the raising of the yarn finger |85 the continued revolution of the needle cylinder 260 brings the rubber yarn into the diagonal position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4, the hook member of the cutter and clamp in the meantime having been lowered to its open position becauseV the rack of the striping drum 20 raised the corresponding bell crank lever 4 onto the cam 862, Fig. 10. The continuation of this rack moves the striping drum cam 062 from under the bell crank lever, thus releasing the hook member to be drawn upward by tension spring 20| to cut and clamp the rubber yarn. As soon as the rubber yarn has been cut and clamped, the needle cylinder 260 can be raised while the rib knitting is still going on, to cause effective action of the sinker teeth on the fabric without the rubber yarn and without affecting the length of the stitch. The needle cylinder is raised at this time by the cam 863 on the auxiliary striping drum 20 operating its associated bell crank lever I4 and thereby operating the link |99 and the cylinder raising lever |98 from the position shown in Fig. 1.

The striping drum 20 continues to rack around, while the machine continues to make rib fabric, until the usual low or timing tooth is reached. Thereafter the racking pawl for the auxiliary drum idles back and forth without being able to reach the low tooth. The means for preventing the racking pawl from engaging the low tooth at this time comprise an idling lever 530 pivoted ,Y on the axis of the auxiliary drum 2 0 and having a toe engaging the cams at one cam position of the main drum |20.

There is a long high cam on the main drum opposite this idling lever which cam extends completely around the circumference of the drum except for a short section and this Cam is of such a height that when the toe of the idling lever is on it the racking pawl will be held up out of engagement with all the teeth in the striping drum rack wheel 2|. Part of the gap between the ends of this high cam is occupied by a low or intermediate cam which is of such a height as to permit the racking pawl to engage all the teeth on the auxiliary drum rack wheel 2| except the low tooth. This main drum low cam comes immediately after the high cam when the direction of rotation of the main drum is consid-ered, and these cams are so located that the idling lever 530 is resting on the low cam during the making of the rib fabric. When the idling lever 530 drops off this low cam down onto the surface of the drum |20, the pawl will be lowered to a position where it can get not only the high tooth but also the ylow tooth of the auxiliary drum rack wheel 2|,

When the usual main pattern 'chain of the machine (not shown) indicates that the correct number of courses for the rib fabric has been completed, the `lugs. on the pattern chain acting through they usual main rack iwheel causes the main pattern drum |20 to be racked forward several times for the purpose of changing the knitting from rib to plain. In a machine made according to this invention, the first of these racks at this point in the manufacture of the stocking causes the idling lever 530 to pass olf the low cam down onto the surface of the drum |20 permitting the auxiliary drum racking pawl to drop into engagement with the low tooth of the auxiliary drum rack 2| and rack the auxiliary drum 20 forward three pr four teeth. The racking of the auxiliary striping drumv 20 at this point causes the bell crank lever |4 controlling the elevation of the needlel cylinder 200 during rib knitting to drop off its cam 863 thus releasing the needle cylinder for control by the usual mechanisms during plain knitting. The second rack of the main pattern drum causes the idling lever 530 to ride up onto the long high cam which lifts the auxiliary drum racking pawl out of operative relation with all the teeth on the auxiliary drum rack wheel 2|, thereby stopping the auxiliary striping drum 20. This high cam stays under the toe of i operation of the drum 20 is removed at the ap-r propriate point or points on the circumference of the drum |20 and blank spaces lett or los: cams inserted as needed. The racks of the main pattern drum |20 at the time of transfer from rib to plain fabric also raise the thrust rofl 488 which has been causing the extra long thi-us* or toothed sinkers onto cam 52|, thereby disengaging the safety catch on the thrust rod 462 and the rubber yarn finger |85 so that the. rubber yarn finger cannot be lowered into feeding position if the striping drum 20 should be operated du'ring the making of the balance of the hose. Thisalso makes it possible to use the striping drum 2li for patterns in the leg without the rubber yarn finger |85 interfering. These racks of the main pattern drum also raise the dial D by means of the long thrust rod |25, releasing the catch of the safety latch on the thrust rod 205 for the rubber yarn cutter and clamp so that the cutter and clamp cannot be operated, no matter what cams may inadvertently or otherwise be brought into engagement with the corresponding bell crank lever. Where the auxiliary pattern drum 20 is also used for patterns in the leg ofthe stocking the yarn fingers for the pattern yarns are held inactive during rib knitting by push rods operated from the main pattern drum as usual so that they are not affected by the operation of the auxiliary drum for controlling the rubber yarn at that time.

What we claim is:

1. Rubber yarn feeding mechanism for a knitting machine comprising a yarn supply, a finger for feeding the yarn, means operating said finger to introduce the yarn by moving the yarn finger in a, direction to lengthen the yarn path between the yarn supply and finger and means for lessening the length of the yarn path between the yarn supply and finger to reduce the tension on said yarn during the introduction of the yarn to the needles.

2. Rubber yarn feeding mechanism for a knitting machine comprising a yarn supply, a finger for feeding the yarn, a guide for said yarn between said yarn supply and finger and means for shifting said guide to lessen the path of the yarn between the yarn supply and said finger as saidY finger is operated to introduce the yarn and for operating said guide to lengthen said yarn path while said yarn finger remains in feeding position.

3. Rubber yarn feeding mechanism for a circular knitting machine, comprising a feeding-finger for the rubber yarn, in combination with a guide for said yarn between said yarn supply and finger and mechanism adapted to move said guide toward said finger to produce slack in the yarn between the guide and finger and to move said guide away from said yarn finger to lengthen the yarn path while said yarn nger is in feeding position.

4. In a circular knitting machine, rubber yarn feeding mechanism comprising a finger for the rubber yarn and a guide for said yarn continuously associated with said yarn and located prior to said finger, in combination with a rubber yarn supplying means and mechanism adapted to shorten the path of travel between the rubber yarn supplying means' and the finger by moving the guide as said yarn finger is moved to feeding position.

5. In a circular knitting,machine, rubber yarn feeding mechanism comprising a finger for feeding the rubber yarn and a guide directing the rubber yarn to the finger, in combination with means for moving said finger to operative position and for simultaneously moving said guide toward said finger.

6. In a circular knitting machine, rubber yarn feeding mechanism comprising a finger for feeding said yarn and a guide continuously associated with said yarn and about which said yarn is deected in moving to said yarn finger, in combination with means for moving said guide so as to reduce the angle through which the yarn is defiected at said guide and thereby produce slack between the guide and the finger as said yarn finger is moved to feeding position.

7. In a circular knitting machine, rubber yarn feeding mechanism comprising a finger for feeding rubber yarn and a guide directing said rubber yarn to the finger, in combination with means for moving simultaneously said finger to operative position and said guide so as to produce slack between the finger and the guide.

8. In a circular knitting machine, rubber yarn feeding mechanism comprising a nger for feeding said yarn having operative and inoperative positions, a rubber yarn supply and a guide located between said rubber yarn supply and said finger, in combination with means for'moving said guide so as to change-the length of the path of travel of the yarn between the supply and the finger, said means being adapted to move the guide so as to lessen the path of travel as the finger moves tooperative position.

9. In a circular knitting machine having cylinder and dial needles cooperating in the knitting of rib fabric,` a finger for feeding rubber yarn in the rib fabric, a rubber yarn supply, a guide for the rubber yarn between the supply and finger, means for operating said finger to introduce the rubber yarn into the rib fabric and to withdraw means to operate said guide to lengthen said rubber yarn path during the feeding of the rubber yarn.

10. In a circular rib knitting machine, a series of dial needles, Aa. series of cylinder'needles comprising one series opposite thedial needles inactive during rib knitting and another series intercalated between the dial needles used during rib` knitting, both of said series of cylinder needles cooperating in the knitting of plain fabric, and a yarn finger adapted tov feed rubber yarn just below the dialneedles, in combination with one or more special needles in the group of cylinder needles opposite the dial needles, and means adapted to operate said special needles to take the rubber yarn and draw it under the dial needles.

11. In a circular rib knitting machine having dial and cylinder needles cooperating to knit rib fabric and cylinder needles inactive in the, knitting of the rib fabric, a rubber yarn supply, a nger for feeding the rubber yarn between the loops of the rib and plain wales during rib knitting, a guide for the rubber yarnl between said yarn supply and finger, means for operating an inactive cylinder needle to take the rubber yarn and means operating the yarn guide to lessen the yarn path between the yarn supply and nger as said needle takes the rubber yarn.

12. In a circular rib knitting machine having dial and cylinder needles cooperating to knit rib fabric and cylinder needles inactive in the'knitting of the rib fabric, a rubber yarn supply, a finger for feeding the rubber yarn between the loops of the rib and plain wales during rib knitting, a guide for the rubber yarn between said yarn supply and finger, means for operating an inactive cylinder needle to take the rubber yam,

means operating the yarn guide to lessen the yarn path between the yarn supply and finger as said needletakes the rubber yarn and to lengthen the yarn path while the rubber yarn is being fed.

13. In a circular rib knitting machine having dial and cylinder needles cooperating to knit rib fabric and cylinder needles inactive in the kniting of the rib fabric, a rubber yarn supply, a finger for feeding the rubber yarn between the loops of the rib and plain wales during rib knitting, a guide for the rubber yarn between said yarn supply and nger, a cutter and clamp mechanism for holding the rubber yarn end when the yarn is not being fed, means for operating said cutter and clamp mechanism to take and release the yarn, means operating an inactive cylinder needle to take the rubber yarn and means operating the yarn guide to lessen the tension on the rubber yarn prio-r to its release by said cutter and clamp mechanism.

14. In a circular rib knitting machine, a yarn finger for feeding rubber yarn during rib knitting, a cutter and clamp mechanism for said yarn, a thrust ro-d for operating said cutter and clamp mechanism, an auxiliary pattern drum, a

lever operated by said auxiliary pattern drum for operating said thrust rod, means for operatively connecting said lever and thrust rod, a main pattern drum and means operated by said main pattern drum controlling the opera-tion of said connecting means for preventing operation of said thrust rod during plain knitting.

15. In a circular rib knitting machine having dial and cylinder needles cooperating to knit rib fabric and cylinder needles inactive during the knitting of rib fabric, a yarn finger for feeding a yarn between the loops of the rib and plain wales during rib knitting, and means for operating an inactive cylinder needle to take and hold said yarn during a plurality of courses of rib knitting.

16. In a circular rib knitting machine having dial an-d cylinder needles cooperating to knit rib fabric and cylinder needles inactive during the knitting of rib fabric, a yarn finger for feeding a yarn between the loops of the rib and plain wales during rib knitting, means for operating an inactive cylinder needle to take and hold said yarn during a plurality of courses of rib knitting and means holding down the free portion of the yarn between said yarn finger and the fabric.

17. In a circular rib knitting machine having dial and cylinder needles cooperating to knit rib fabric and cylinder needles inactive during the knitting of rib fabric, a yarn finger for feeding a yarn between the loops of the rib and plain wales during rib knitting, means for operating an inactive cylinder needle to take and hold said yarn during a plurality of courses of rib knitting and means projecting said dial needles to hold down the free portion of the yarn between said yarn finger and the fabric. I

18. In a circular rib knitting machine having dial and cylinder needles cooperating to knit rib fabric and cylinder needles inactive during the knitting of rib fabric, a yarn finger for feeding a yarn between the loops of the rib and plain wales during rib knitting, means for operating an inactive cylinder needle to take and hold said yarn during a plurality of courses of rib knitting and means projecting said dial needles over said yarn and partially withdrawing said dial needles while said dial needles hold down said yarn.

19. In a circular rib knitting machine having dial and cylinder needles cooperating to knit rib fabric and cylinder needles inactive duringv the knitting of rib fabric, a yarn nger for feeding a yarn between the loops of the rib and plain wales during rib knitting and means projecting said dial needles over said yarn and then withdrawing said dial needles from the paths taken by the inactive cylinder needles when raised while continuing said dial needles in position to hold down said yarn prior to thev knitting wave.

20. In a circular knitting machine, a yarn finger for feeding rubber yarn during rib knitting, a thrust rod for voperating said yarn finger, an auxiliary pattern drum, a lever operated by said auxiliary pattern drum for operating said thrust rod, means for operatively connecting said lever and thrust rod, a main pattern drum and means operated by said main pattern drum 'controlling the operation of said connecting means for preventing operation of said thrust rod during plain knitting.

21. In a circular knitting machine, a` yarn finger for feeding rubber yarn during rib knitting, a thrust rod for operating said yarn finger, an auxiliary pattern drum, a lever operated by said auxiliary pattern drum for operating said thrust rod, means for operatively connecting said lever and thrust rod, a main pattern drum and means operated by said main pattern drum preventing connection of said lever and thrust'rod during plain knitting.

22. In-a circular rib knitting machine, a yarn finger for feeding rubber yarn during rib knitting, an auxiliary pattern drum, means operated by said auxiliary pattern drum for operating said yarn finger, a main pattern drum and means operated by said main pattern drum preventing operation of said yarn finger upon operation of said auxiliary pattern drum during plain knitting.

23. In a'circular rib knitting machine, a yarn finger for feeding rubber yarn during rib knitting,

a thrust rod for operating said yarn finger, an auxiliary pattern drum, a lever operated by said auxiliary pattern drum for operating said thrust rod, a latch for connecting said lever and thrust rod, a main pattern drum and means operated by said main pattern drum preventing said latch connecting said lever and thrust rod during plain knitting.

24. In a circular rib knitting machine having a dial and a cylinder with needles therein cooperating to knit rib fabric, a yarn finger for feeding rubber yarn between the loops of the rib and plain wales, pattern mechanism and means controlled by said pattern mechanism for operating said yarn nger to introducethe rubber yarn and the rib fabric upon the introduction of the rubber yarn to the rib fabric.

26. In a circularknitting machine having a dial and a cylinder with needles therein cooperating to knit rib fabric, a yarn finger for feeding rubber yarn between the loops of the rib and plain wales, pattern mechanism controlling the operation of said yarn finger and means operated by said pattern mechanism operating' said yarn finger to present and withdraw the rubber yarn and to increase and decrease the spacing between the cylinder and dial as the rubber yarn is presented and withdrawn during the knitting of rib 5 fabric.

,ALBERT E. PAGE. FRANK R. PAGE. HARRY N. SHEPPARD. 

